Council of Jerusalem

The Council of Jerusalem was a pre-ecumenical council held by the Christian Church in Jerusalem in 50 AD. The Pharisees believed that the gentiles had to be circumcised and had to obey the laws of Moses in order to become Christians, but Saint Peter argued that, when Jesus died, he gave the Holy Spirit to all of humanity, and did not make a distinction between Jews and gentiles when he died for humanity's sins. Ultimately, the Church decided that gentile converts were not obligated to adopt Jewish customs, including circumcision, although it retained the prohibitions on eating blood, meat containing blood, meat of animals not properly slain, and on fornication and idolatry.